Support Steve's 2025 Adaptive Golf Season

Hi! First, thank you for taking the time to read this personal request. Please be aware that this effort is entirely out of character for me – at least on an individual level. I have worked on behalf of others reasonably often in the past, but this is the first time I am making a personal request. My name is Steve Paine, and many of you reading this will already be familiar with that information. However, as I am making a multi-platform communication effort here, I include my name for those who do not know me.

I am a golfer. I recall beginning at approximately 7 or 8, hitting plastic Whiffle balls over the roof of my grandparents' home in a very small town in western Michigan. You see, there wasn’t much to do in a village of 500 people for a 7- or 8-year-old kid. So, that whiffle ball and a hickory-shafted club that I found in the garage was entertaining on a Saturday afternoon until my grandmother got tired of me taking a proper divot in the yard and the sound of a plastic ball on the roof. OK…and occasionally into the picture window in the living room.

Fast-forward about 58 or 59 years and many, many golf clubs later, I still love the game. I recently discovered how much I enjoy helping others learn and appreciate this game, regardless of the challenges or adaptations they encounter. There are no victims, only survivors — and golfers of all abilities, now, including me.

Approximately 2 ½ years ago, I began noticing issues with my legs that were impacting not only my golf game but also my life. I am not even too concerned about the six major back surgeries that I have had: I learned to adapt (remember that word). And I continue to do so. PT 2 or 3 times a week, I reteach myself the golf swing, having done so 3 times in 4 years. I also find ways to adapt, such as when teeing off or retrieving the ball from the hole. Indeed, if there is a way, you will find it.

The diagnosis today is Idiopathic Neurological Ataxia. Three big words, as a doctor explained to me, mean my brain and feet are not always in sync, and there is no exact explanation as to why. With testing expenditures to date ranging between $130K and $140K, there is still no definitive answer to the question of “why.” (Thank goodness for insurance!)

During the time I have been dealing with my situation, I discovered what is known as “Adaptive Golf” within the broader sphere of Adaptive Sports. This year, I received a grant from the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which I gratefully accepted. However, with my goal to play in 6 to 8 adaptive golf tournaments this year, I need to seek additional sponsorship. I need to make some minor adjustments to my golf equipment and tournament expenses, including entries, car travel, and hotels, which are currently budgeted at approximately $500 to $600 each. This GoFundMe will be utilized for these purposes. By reaching out to 20% of my approximately 1,000 social media contacts and through this GoFundMe appeal, with your contribution of $15 to $20, I hope to fund my efforts for the 2025 season, as my legs may not allow me to participate in the 2026 season. I appreciate your consideration and support. Thank you!

For more information on Adaptive Golf or Adaptive Sports in general, I refer you to:

www.USAGA.org (an umbrella organization for various adaptive golf entities), www.challengedathletes.org (where my grant originated), and USDGAgolf.org, as well as the USGA and EDGA organizations, which pertain to adaptive golf in the US and globally.